The Dark Lord
by Dia Mast
Summary: Yael lost everything when she was younger, her friends her family and her world. Now one of the few who survived from her childhood has come to destroy everything from her past. What can you do when the strongest dark lord in history wants to ruin you?
1. Chapter 1

"MOVE!" Darren yelled to his companion stabbing backwards with his sword. Yael dashed out of the way sending a blast of lighting shooting off at an advancing troll. There were too many.

"Just the time for Atanasio to leave." Darren cussed.

The troll Darren was fighting was backing away trying to stop himself from being injured. It pulled its arms up to shield its face, exposing its soft belly. Darren shot out with his sword stabbing the Troll in the stomach. The troll doubled over and hit the ground with a bloodcurdling crunch. Yael Turned around. That sound always sickened her.

"Darren Duck!" she yelled over the advancing creatures as she shot a low area fireball off. It rushed over Darren's head hitting a troll behind him. Ammon drew his bow to take another shot. He let off shot after shot, perfectly aimed. He was shooting from a ledge above where Darren and Yael were fighting below.

"Darren? Is that it?" she yelled over to him. Their backs were together scanning the trees around them. For some reason the trolls had fled into the bushes. The grove started to fill with mist. There was a noise, like clapping hands.

"Good job." A voice said. A man emerged from bushes.

"Yael!" Darren yelled.

"Already there!" Yael responded shooting a frost spell at the wizard. He clicked his tongue and raised a hand. Yael's spell disappeared in mid-air.

"Now, now, be nice." The wizard said. Yael stood in horror. Only one magician she had know could ever do that. His robes were all black. He approached them.

"Yael, I can't move." Darren spat a level of stress layering his voice.

Yael found that she couldn't ether. She glanced up to the ledge where Ammon was standing. The wizard had forgotten that there was a third member. She pulled her eyes away from him. They would all die if Ammon couldn't do this. Ammon pulled his quiver back. The wizard's eyes glanced over to when Ammon was standing and he sighed. He sent a gush of fire in Ammon's direction. Ammon screamed with pain, and his body fell from the ledge shaking. Yael cringed even before Ammon's dead body hit the ground. The Wizard chuckled as Ammon's body struck the ground with a sickening crunch. The wizard approached Yael. He ran his fingers lightly down her face. They were rough and unpleasant.

"Yes, you will be left." He muttered as she stared at him in shock. Tears were trying to well in her eyes. She held back, she wouldn't show weakness. He motioned with his free hand and six large trolls came out of the forest.

"You will be spared my dear girl." He murmured in Yael's ear. "But, I can't say as much for you companion." He said glancing at Darren who was struggling to free himself from the spell.

"Yael…" Darren said the nervousness in his voice at a high. The wizard pulled Yael away from the advancing trolls. She stood completely immobilized away from Darren. Her Darren.

"No, please." She begged trying look up the cloak's hood to see a twisted face beneath. His eyes were soft, but had an evil side to them. He ignored her request.

She looked back at the advancing trolls on Darren.

"Yael!" he said. A sword shot through his stomach making him recoil. The troll stabbed the sword in again causing Darren to shudder. Blood gushed from his mouth and he let out a cry of pure agony. A dagger sliced easily through one of his arms. His body fell to the ground his head smashing into a rock.

"No!!" Yael screamed breaking free of the spell. The wizard let go of her dress to let her free. He chuckled. She ran to Darren's side.

"Darren. Please!" She begged. She waved her hands over her body looking for what she could do. She pushed magic through her fingertips trying to heal him with a spell. His hand reached up to her face. His hand still felt soft. She put her hand on top of his hand. His pulse was weak.

"Yael. I love you." He choked. He spat up blood. One of Darren's hands reached for his neck pulling off the necklace he always wore.

"Take it." He managed to stutter out putting the necklace in Yael's hand closing her hand with one easy movement. His arm fell back to his chest, and his eyes closed.

"Darren?" she asked. He wasn't breathing. "Darren!" she yelled through tears. She let her head fall to his blood-covered chest. She sobbed. Darren and Ammon dead. Why not her? She looked up to see the Dark wizard still staring at her.

"You always loved him more than me." He said pulling down his hood.

She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't he was the kindest sweetest magician she had ever known.

"Atanasio!" She said stunned by his appearance. His face was contorted with evil magic. He smiled, revelling a scar under his lips.

"I've always loved you." He said sending a wave of magic toward her.

*****

That was four months ago, and she could never live it down. It was her idea to go to the grove. Darren had agreed, but Ammon was wary. He climbed the ledge so that if something went wrong he could ether spilt of help his friends. He should of split. Yael had only been fifteen when it happened.

Yael was sitting in bed. The memory always haunted her while she was asleep. The darkness was where she couldn't ever hide from the memory. She lit the fireplace at the end of her bed with a simple flick of her hand. It erupted into flames. She pulled opened the drawer to her bedside table. Darren's necklace sat in the corner of the drawer.

She took in a jagged breathe. Yael pulled the necklace out and looped it over her wrist. It sparkled in the light. She opened the clasp to the necklace and put it on. It was a very close fitting necklace. She felt the pendant on her bare skin. It was warm.

Darren had explained to her when they first grouped up, the four of them.

"When I was eight, my father, grandfather and my older brother all went out to hunt a dragon. My father gave me my first sword. I still have it now. It's an enchanted sword, named ShadowGlide. When we hunted the dragon I was shocked by the size. It was massive, a huge beast reaching to the top of an extremely large cavern. My brother went in with a bow, my grandfather with magic, and me and my father with swords. When we had killed the dragon, my father collected some of its blood. He put it into a vial at took it home. I had no idea what he was going to do with it until he gave it to me in a square pendant."

Yael nodded at the memory. He had also explained when the pendant was green you were in full health. Red you're injured, and black you are dead.

"It was a very good doctor." He would joke around.

She pulled on her usual outfit. A green and blue mage's dress. The end of the dress reached about down to the middle of her thigh and under the dress she wore skin tight leather shorts. The sides of the dress were a starchy material with a yellow ribbon holding the seam together. Any heavy armour would disrupt her magic flow. Yael never wore shoes, most of the time she didn't even walk. When she was younger she would, but since Darren died she took up serious magic, only nature and combat. She would spend hours forcing herself to learn new skills and put them to the test.

About five times a week she would return to the Hak'u jungles and fight any beasts who would try to attack her. She found the forest relaxing. There she could think. She would be alone. No one would bother her there.

She was in the town of Eirulan, the town where she grew up. Aman'lu was her original home but it had been attacked many years ago, and had almost all recovered. Yael was but a child when that happened. Her mother was killed in the attack, but her father managed to escape with Yael in his arms.

Yael was a dryad, like a sot of tree person or nymph. Her hair was a deep brown and reached down below her shoulder blades. Her ears were pointed and her face was as Darren had explained, like a sculpture.

She walked out of her hut. The sun was still rising in the sky. Yael brought her hand up to her face to block the sun from her eyes. Her fingers were small and delicate. Most likely from magic.

Eirulan was a treetop town. The village homes were surrounded by sixty to the hundred foot tall trees. The main part of the town was a wooden walkway with buildings built into the side of the forest's trees.

She stepped onto the lift and pulled the lever. She checked her bag, six large mana potions sat in the back surrounded by cloth so they wouldn't break. The lift slowly moved down the line. It stopped at the forest floor.

"Hey!" one of the Eirulan guards said to her with a wave. She nodded her head and gracefully walked over to an open field.

Grass felt soft and calming under her feet. She took a deep breathe in letting the natural clean air fill her lungs. She sat down letting the softness of the moss and dirt compact under her body. She closed her eyes and listened.

After a few minutes Yael paused. Something was coming. No, somebody was approaching. She lifted herself off the ground and hovered in the air. It was a man, a human.

"Yael? Is that you?" he asked. "Oh, of course its you, you're the only one who knows how to fly." He muttered.

She lowered herself closer to the ground. "What do you want?" she asked the man still ready in case he was to attack her.

"It took me many months to find you but hey, I'm here now. My name is Lucious." He explained holding out his hand with was covered in a thin layer of dirt.

"You're…" Yael started letting herself float down to the ground.

"Yes that's right. I am Darren's older brother." He explained

Yael nodded and sat down on the ground crossing her legs. She picked a pieced of grass and rolled it between her fingers.

"I've been looking for you for about four months. You are the only one who is still living from my brothers group." He explained kneeling in front of her.

She continued to look at the distorted grass between her fingers.

"Why are you here Lucious?" Yael asked finally looking up.

"You're the only one who knows how he died. You're the only one who was there," He explained.

"Ammon was ther…" She started looking up.

"Who is still alive." Lucious explained.

"Ahh." She muttered looking down.

"Listen to me Yael. I know that since Darren died, you've been taking up very difficult magic. You've been training and training and I believe its because somebody killed Darren and you want revenge. Am I right?" He asked.

Yael looked down and nodded.

"Yes." She muttered her voice cracking as the memories came flooding back.

"Will you tell me, what happened to Darren, Ammon and you?" he asked.

"Yes." She said looking up.

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Yael's name is pronounced (yah El) It means god's power.

Darren's name is pronounced (Dare en) It means Burnt land (or) hill.

Ammon's name is Pronounced (Am on) It means the hidden one.

Atanasio's name is pronounced (ah tah NAH see oh) It means without death.

Lucious' name is pronounced (LOO see us) It means light

The town of Aman'lu is pronounced (A man loo)

The town of Eirulan is pronounced (ir u lan)


	2. Chapter 2

The two sat in the meadow across from each other. Lucious was waiting for Yael to tell him. Yael was looking down. She didn't really want to speak, but how else could you get rid of human curiosity?

"You know that when I was about thirteen Darren met me. I had been training under a magician named Atanasio. He was my trainer since I was about seven." Yael explained to Lucious who was looking at her a serious expression on his face.

"When I joined up with Ammon and Darren, Atanasio came with me. Darren was only three years older than me. Darren had explained to me about that we would be hunting monsters. At the time Atanasio was a better Mage than me, however I've taken up magic that he refused to teach me when I was younger." She muttered glancing up. She didn't really know why Atanasio didn't bother to teach her everything. At fourteen a dryad was fully grown, and would live for hundreds of years beyond that.

"So why did Atanasio leave?" Lucious asked.

"I didn't know at the time, but I believe it was because He loved me and I didn't love him back. I think that he thought he had lost me to another. He's still out there." She muttered. Yael hated him. Atanasio, that bastard.

"There's been killings of whole towns and villages near the northern reaches of Aranna. Do you think that is him?" Lucious asked.

"Yes I think it might be." She said without any tone.

Lucious looked shocked. Lucious had also known Atanasio, but only through Darren.

Yael looked up and continued. Not bothering with asking if Lucious was alright.

"The day that Darren died he asked me where I wanted to go fight. We liked to train in some of the most dangerous places." She chuckled. "I said the misty grove would be a good training ground. He agreed and we went there." Yael explained picking a small white flower and pulling off a petal. "Darren agreed and we went there. The first thing I noticed was it was too quiet, too peaceful." She yanked another petal off harshly.

"Peaceful is good though." Lucious said looking at Yael's flower.

"Not this one." Yael sighed looking off into the sky. A bird flew out of a tree off through the sky. The sun was still rising. Why was Lucious up at this time of the morning? Yael shook her head. She continued.

"Darren always lived in the moment. I guess it was a good thing sometimes. He would never quall on something for too long." She muttered looking down. The flower in her hands looked so delicate.

The two went silent.

"You loved him didn't you?" Lucious asked. Did she hear that he sounded hurt?

"Yes, And Atanasio destroyed Darren." She said glaring at the flower. Why did he have to do that? How much was she to him? She let the flower rest lightly between her two palms fury still burning within her. It burst into flames in her hand causing Lucious to jump back. The flames flickered in Yael's eyes giving the usual green eyes an orangey tone. The orange flame turned black as Yael glared at it and then extinguished suddenly leaving only the gray ashes. The ashes from the flower scattered with the wind. Yael closed her hand around the remaining ashes.

"Life can end so abruptly," She said opening her hand and looking back up at Lucious. "So shockingly fast. Then before you know it, it's gone." Yael said releasing the last little bits of the ash into the air.

Lucious watched the ashes disappear with the wind.

"Its something you cannot control, but something you can cause. Something that Atanasio causes, and has caused." She growled. She hadn't meant to be so rash with him.

Lucious turned back to Yael who was looking at him with pitying eyes.

"What went through may have been difficult, but you lost your brother. When a bond is formed in between two people, or even three it can be a blessing. But when that bond breaks, the one left will be unstable." She explained trying to control the sudden anger that had sparked in her.

"The one left will be full of hatred and revenge." Lucious stated looking up.

Yael averted her eyes.

"But there's always something to be happy for. All life doesn't end." He said pulling her face back so that she was looking at him. "It just feels like it. There will always be a little glimmer of hope."

She smiled. "I guess so."

She stood on the spot letting her feet hover off the ground. She liked to feel her magic flow through her. It comforted her.

"Now you were telling me about Darren's death?" He asked after a minute of silence.

She looked up and smiled. She wasn't happy. Her expression might have been but her eye's said differently.

"I don't know how to explain this to you. I really don't. It's hard for me to say these things, but I can't keep living in the past." Yael said looking down to him. She let her feet touch the ground.

"It's a good thing to keep going. If you just sit there you could get lost to the world." Lucious explained.

Yael smiled. "After the silence, silence for so long, we were attacked. He thought it was some rogue tolls. We managed to kill a few. The trolls retreated back into the bushes. We didn't know what was happening, how could we? When _he_ came from the bushes we had no idea what was going on. He just looked like at any other dark wizard." Yael paused. "I casted a frost spell at him, but he did something I didn't expect." Yael looked up. She blinked back tears from her eyes. "I had no idea who he was. But when he stopped my spell, I knew something was up. Only one wizard I knew could do that. I couldn't tell if it was him. He immobilized us. But he spared me."

"Why?" Lucious asked.

Yael didn't answer immediately. "You must have other things to do, and you probably don't want to hear me talk all day." She muttered standing up gracefully. She really didn't want this human to think the dark lord seemed to have a 'thing' for her.

"But I,"

"It's alright. These types of thoughts bring up different feelings and memories." Yael said stepping into the tree line and disappearing from view.

"Wait!" Lucious yelled. No response. He growled and stood up running into the forest a small dagger in hand.

The forest around Eirulan was a dangerous place, even when you were defended. There were creatures that could stop you in your tracks and others that would have you run towards them defenseless.

Lucious stood waiting for a sign of Yael. Yael looked down on him from her perch.

"Where are you?" he muttered probably to himself.

Lucious was at the base of her tree. She touched one of the leaves on the tree thoughtfully.

"Why do you need to know?" She said to herself. "Can't you just live in ignorant bliss? Why can't I?"

'Because you know too much. You've seen too much.' Her mind responded.

"I know." She muttered looking down at Lucious who was standing at the base of the tree looking around the forest. He probably couldn't see to well in the deeps of the forest. Human's eyes don't adjust fast enough to the darkness of the forest. They can't see well. They give up too easily. That's why humans are weak.

"What am I saying?" she said quietly. "Darren wasn't weak."

Her Darren.

"Yael!" Lucious yelled pulling her out of a daze. He sword loudly and stabbed the trunk of her tree.

He wasn't looking at her, but he was still looking for her.

He sighed and leaned against the tree sliding down the trunk until he was sitting. He pulled the dagger from the trunk. He seemed upset.

"Idiot." She muttered jumping from the tree to a lower branch of another tree.

"Stop looking so glum." She said loud enough for him to hear. His head shot up to where she was standing.

She shifted her weight and the branch shook. She sighed and started to walk down the branch. As she got farther out the branch started to bow. The branch made a snapping sound and she felt it breaking beneath her. She quickly jumped off it in to an areal, causing Lucious to stand up quickly.

"Why'd you follow me?" She asked tilting her head.

"Because you didn't finish your story."

"So?" Yael asked.

"So I want to hear it."

"What if I don't want to tell it?"

"Well…Please?" He asked. Hew seemed a little ignorant, even for a human. Humans who were ignorant cause problems.

"You are very annoying and extremely stubborn." She muttered. "Maybe later."

He didn't like that.

"Tell me." He said pulling his dagger from its sheath.

Yael turned to him and raised one eyebrow. She walked up to him in a few quick bounds. She could feel her magic pouring off her in waves and even he seemed to feel it.

"What are you trying to get?" stupid human, she added in her head.

"I…"

"No." She said stopping him. "Why did you even think of threatening me? If you were by chance to kill me, this town would kill you. You are worthless to this town." She said glancing down at the dagger. And then to the sheathed sword.

She froze. That sword.

"ShadowGlide?" She asked shock exposed in her expression. She stopped herself from reaching for the sword.

Lucious smiled and put the dagger in its holster.

"No it's not ShadowGlide. That was Darren's sword. My sword is its twin blade. It's called NightBlade, not as cool as my brothers though but it works the same." He said with a smile.

Yael glared at him.

"listen, I'm sorry about threatening you. I'll just go back to town." He said walking off toward the forest.

Yael paused and waited. Lucious stopped and turned on the spot. She smiled as embarrassment spread across his face.

"The towns this way!" He said walking past her toward the lift. She sighed and followed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys!**

**Did you guys enjoy the last chapter? I've pretty much planned out the story, but I'm being really, **_**really**_**, slow, sorry. School comes first! Anyway, leave a comment if you'd like. Oh, and thank you to Meestur Aytch who gave the first comment. Well anyway here is the story continued form the last point…**

**Dia.**

Light was fading fast, the sun setting, and an odd feeling was in the air. A crackling noise, like fire? Where was the fire?

Black forest, that was it completely black. Why was it black?

Yael pulled her self into a crouch looking around swiftly. There was no fire, just trees…

"Hello Yael." A voice said from behind her.

Yael sat up in bed suddenly, her eyes darting around the room. It was quiet. It should be quiet. It was dark, but for some reason felt…_wrong_. She settled herself back into bed.

**Crack.**

She froze her eyes open facing away from the door. She turned over slowly. There was a glow coming in through her window.

She stood up walking over to the door. A strange light was coming in through the drapes of her window. She paused looking at the window. It was…Enthralling, a magical tone to it.

She shook her head and stepped out through the door grabbing her bag which contained her mana potions and some food.

Eirulan was inflame.

She froze in the doorway as dryads ran past her. Everything was so bright, but at the same time dark. The fire had made its way from the platforms up into the trees. The sky was alight with fire.

"Yael!"

She threw a back fist hitting somebody in the stomach. She paused then turned around pulling a dagger from her belt and holding it the person's neck. He froze.

"Umm Yael?" He asked.

She froze. It was Lucious…Oops.

"Sorry" She muttered pulling away immediately.

He rubbed his neck then looked over her shoulder.

"They hit this place pretty hard." He said sounding uninterested.

Yael's head shot up. "They?"

"The dark lord and his followers. I thought you knew."

"No I didn't. You mean Atanasio?" She asked.

"Yea. Why?"

Yael glared toward the sounds of screaming ignoring his question. He was here. Come to finish the job?

She shook her head.

"Come on." Yael said grabbing Lucious' arm and pulling him toward the fight.

"Wait, wait, **wait**. You want to go _toward _the fight?" He said waving one hand in a slicing movement.

"Yes." She said in a matter of fact tone.

"Are you insane? He slaughters anyone who doesn't agree with him or try's to fight him. It's impossible to win! You can't do it. I can't do it. We'll die. It's impossible." Lucious said sounding someone insane himself.

Yael looked at him raising an eyebrow. He was being an idiot, typical human.

She sighed. "Lucious," She said walking up to him almost nose to nose, "There is a counter spell for every dark magic spell as well as for every normal spell. Suck it up butter cup and come on!" She said whacking him up the side of the head and grabbing his arm, pulling him onto the lift.

"But…"

"Lucious, you're not a dryad. You're not a solider; you might not even classify to be a Mercenary. You're just a human who thinks he's a fighter. This isn't you fight. You don't have to say.

"I'm coming, you still haven't told me everything."

"There's that wonderful human stubbornness. Come on."

The next platform was terrible. Little creatures almost like Hak'u ran about attacking the remaining Dryads. There was a woman obviously dead on the platform, the Hak'u-like creature tearing at her torso.

Yael looked around slowly, and then whistled loudly.

"What are you doing?" Lucious hissed grabbing her arm when all the creatures turned toward Yael.

"Don't worry. I'd rather take them all out at once rather than waste my Mana."

"Yea, yea don't worry when fifty little blood-thirsty creatures come running toward us ready to eat us. Yea, I'M WORRYING!" Lucious hissed in her ear. She pushed Lucious behind her as the first creatures began to jump.

Yael muttered something under her breathe then shot a spell at the creatures. It was like a wave of bow in a cone shape. The creatures burst into flames that immediately turned to ash.

"There's no danger. No worry." Yael said patting Lucious on the shoulder.

"There are dead people on my shoes." He said quietly.

"Get over it." Yael said walking past him..

They walked for a while following the carnage as it seemed to get worse. Many of the platforms were broken or bloody. The town would never forget. Yael counted at least sixty dead dryads. The death of Eirulan. It would be written into history.

The two came up to one of the council buildings. They stopped outside.

"You lead." Lucious said un-expectantly.

Yael looked at him confused.

He smiled. "I figured that I might as well stick with you since your most likely gonna get out of this town alive, even if you act like a maniac doing it…"

Yael nodded. Stupid human.

She continued walking toward the door of the council room. She kept close to the wall making her movements as quiet as possible.

The two turned to the door Yael looking in cautiously and then Yael pulled back.

"What?" Lucious said trying to push forward to see around Yael.

"Stop." She said holding Lucious back.

"What is...?"

"Shhh." She said holding one hand up to her back.

"What is..?

"Shut up!" She hissed glaring at him.

Lucious fell silent. Yael leaned in so she could see through the doorway.

"We didn't get them all." Some small creature said.

"Well where are they?" A tall man wearing some sort of cap said. He was slightly hunched over.

"We couldn't find them sir."

"You couldn't…Where are they…" Yael couldn't hear what the man was saying.

"Umm sir?"

Yael saw the little creature staring at her.

"Crap." She said pulling herself back around the door. Lucious looked at her oddly.

"What?"

"Run." She said turning back toward the lift and sprinting. Lucious followed on her heels.

"On, On, ON!" She said pulling the lever and Lucious jumped for the lift falling into a crouch. Yael pulled the lever sending the lift backward toward on of the other platforms. Yael didn't bother looking back as Lucious was hyper-ventilating on the lift. God he'd been a solider, a warrior. What the hell had happened?

They arrived on the next platform to find a rather different case. It seemed that this platform hadn't been hit at all. A number of Dryads stood waiting near the center.

"Yael!" One of them yelled. Yael looked up from Lucious to see the commander coming toward her. She nodded once holding up a hand she pulled Lucious off the lift and set it on fire. The lift disintegrated leaving no way for the creatures to come over to this side.

"How is the rest of the city?" The commander asked her. He gave her full respect which she was finally happy to see that she could actually demand it.

"Not too good. Most of the platforms are destroyed and the council has been compromised." Yael explained nodding back to the direction of the council room.

"What?" He asked looking at her as if she had just spoken in Elvin.

"They're most likely all dead. Atanasio doesn't take hostages. I learned that not too long ago."

The commander simply blinked. He probably didn't usually take orders from a 15 year old.

"Atanasio?"

Yael sighed and Lucious responded before she could speak. "Dark lord Ata."

The Dryad nodded.

"We need to seal off this entrance." Yael explained. The commander snapped back to her.

"Something like wood?"

"No not strong enough." Yael explained. She tapped a finger on her hip. She needed something strong.

"What can we use then?" He asked.

"I'd love to say that I have an idea, but in truth I do not." Yael paused. "We may just have to stand here and fight." She muttered.

"But," Lucious started to say. Yael hushed him with a flick of her hand.

"Are there any civilians on this platform?" She asked turning to the commander ignoring Lucious.

"None, We sent them off down through an exit shaft in the complex." He explained pointing toward the big building.

"Good, let me talk to the group." Yael said walking past him.

There were about ten of them, mostly dryads. A few elves stood holding onto their bows. The whole group looked terrified.

"Hey listen up!" Yael said snapping her fingers. The group turned to her and fell silent.

Lucious leaned over Yael. She tilted her head and turned back and glared. Lucious backed away.

She turned back to the group which immediately stopped snickering at Lucious.

"How many of you are willing to die for this city?" Yael asked and a few men looked startled. "Because, this is **not** a training session. These are not Hak'u. These people, these creatures want you dead, and if you aren't willing to risk your life then leave now. Help the civilians leave safely."

A few men started to back off then turned and ran to the tunnel out.

They went down to six.

Yael nodded. She glanced around quickly to see what these guards where wielding. In truth _if_ the group managed to hold off the attackers, they wouldn't be able to for long.

"Are their any mages here?" She asked.

No one responded.

"Great…" Lucious muttered sarcastically.

Yael ignored him. "I've fought against dark wizards before." She said directing her words at the guards. "They don't want your things; they don't want your land. They want you, dead, or following them acting as their pawns, or their _dolls_."

The group shuddered.

"Range attacks are best after magic. If you have to run, run. Don't try to be a hero, run." Yael explained to the now scared faces.

"Yael…" Lucious said tapping her on the shoulder.

"Not now." She muttered.

"But the lifts moving."

"What?" She said turning around to see a group of creatures coming over on the second lift.

"Get ready!" She shouted and the archers drew their bows. Why the hell hadn't she remembered about the second lift?

The creatures charge them and were met with a mixture of arrows and Yael's spells. Most died immediately but a few got through. Lucious went after a few of them with his sword as did the other guard.

A mist came across the platform. Yael stiffened but didn't let herself become scared.

"Oh, come on!" Yael yelled trying to keep any hesitation from her voice. "We already know that trick! Just come out!"

A chuckle came from a shadow.

Yael glared.

"Now, now, don't give me that. You have no idea how long it took me to track you." Ata asked with a smile. If he hadn't been her enemy it might of actually been a kind smile.

"Track me?"

"Yes. It was rather difficult; after all it did take four months."

Yael paused, pondering what to do.

"Yael." Lucious said behind her.

"Yea?" She whispered back.

"Are we going to kill him?"

"Ah, Darren's brother. Lucious correct?" Ata asked stopping Yael from responding. He moved to the side, maybe to get a better look. It almost seemed as if he was gliding.

Lucious looked a little shocked but also angry.

"We need to kill him now. Make him suffer." Lucious sneered in Yael's ear. Even when he drew the dagger in the forest he hadn't been this angry. He also seemed to be less afraid.

"I think not." Ata said sending a spell straight at Lucious.

"MOVE!" Yael said rolling in front of Lucious into a squat, putting up a protective shield.

Ata's spell hit her shield and there was a shower of green and orange sparks exploring in front of her. She winced as Lucious took a step back in shock.

"You protect the worthless human?" Ata asked sounding displeased. He increased the power of the attack. The orange sparks became red.

"Crap." She said pulling one of her hands back. Her fingertips were burnt. She put the hand back up and increased the radius of the shield. She created an extra shield made of ice. With a simple burst of power she sent the ice shield across the platform creating a barrier between her people and Ata's. She stepped back and let out a staggered breath. Yael turned back to the group.

"Everyone run. Get out of the forest. He can sense you in the forest and you will be killed." Yael said to the group.

"What about…?" Lucious started to ask.

"Lucious with me." She said grabbing his hand and taking a Mana potion out. She swigged it quickly as they ran. She smashed the bottle on the platform as they reached the edge.

"Where?" He asked.

"Close your eyes. It will help." She said and he nodded closing his eyes.

The edge of the platform was nearing. It was smoldering. She ran to the edge and over plummeting to the ground.

Atanasio's short name is Ata.

**Hey guys! **

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter. I'm trying to write as fast as I can. Please feel free to comment about your favourite character, or what your thinking during this part. **

**Thanks and feel free to comment.**

**Dia.**


	4. Chapter 4

The platform slipped away from their feet. The huge trunks of trees rushed past them. Lucious opened his eyes.

"Oh My God!" He screamed. Grabbing at her and pulling on her arm.

Yael glared at him and quickly started to mutter a spell. She didn't notice the quickly approaching ground.

"We're gonna die!" He yelled as they came closer. He had to be the worst choice in companion.

"Nam'as Teh" Yael said finishing the spell and held her breath.

The world disappeared for a moment and then suddenly came into focus. Yael landed gracefully on her feet and Lucious, not so much. She let her breathe out and looked around.

"Woah." She said as the world spun. Lucious pulled himself up from the dirt and coughed.

"Ow." He said his face was caked in mud. At least he'd landed in mud.

"Did I not ell you to hold your breath?" Yael asked. He glanced up and shook his head. She shrugged.

"Come on." Yael said walking father into the forest. There was a light glow behind them of the burning city.

"Where are we?" Lucious asked catching up. He was looking around curiously.

"In the Hak'u forest."

The trees were dark and there were the sounds of little animals and bugs rustling in the bushes. There was no path.

"Why didn't you take us out?" He demanded sounding like he was saying 'you idiot' instead.

Yael turned and glared. "You know, I don't know." She said sarcastically. "If I could I would of. Atanasio put a spell on the forest by the feel of it. He stopped me from teleporting out."

"Oh."

"Yeah oh. I tried to get us out."

The two continued along. There was nothing to tell where they were going but Yael seemed to know it well. There was no path, at least for a human to see. But a dryad could see the like marks to say that animals and maybe people, had indeed walked along here.

"Let me lead." Lucious said no seeing the path that Yael could.

"No. Not with _your _sense of direction."

"What?"

"You lost the town yesterday."

"Oh, yeah…"

They walked in silence. Yael still leading and somewhat wary of the forest. Atanasio was around, which meant he may know where she was.

"Do you know where _you're_ going?" Lucious asked.

"Yeah. I've lived in this area for a long time." She muttered ignoring the impolite question.

"Ahh. So why'd you,"

"Stop." Yael said suddenly. She could eel the power. Oh god she could feel it in a wave.

"What?"

"Come here, don't speak. Just listen." Yael said quickly keeping her voice low.

Lucious came over to her and she grabbed him. She pulled him against her and leaned into a tree.

"I'll tell you after." She said then quickly muttered a spell.

"Don't move."

Lucious froze with Yael's arms wrapped around him. A wave of purplish magic flowed across the whole area in a wave. Yael closed her eyes and held her breathe. Lucious did the same. The wave felt cold and it tingled on their flesh.

It was sparkly. It was calming. Yael focused harder on her spell. This kind of magic was made to get you to but down your barriers, to let it in. The magic passed by and Yael glanced up. Lucious was watching her. She quickly looked down and released her grip on Lucious.

"What was that?" Lucious asked taking a gulp of air. He smirked somewhat. She ignored that.

Yael started to walk. "A…tracking spell. It can sense people. I cast that spell as a counter spell so he wouldn't detect us. It's a very hard spell to master. That's why you had to be still."

"That's not what I meant but alright." He said walking past her.

Yael blinked twice then quickly followed. She walked beside him in silence.

"What do you think is gonna happen to Eirulan?" Lucious asked.

Yael paused. "I don't know." She said looking up at him. Humans. Why'd they have to be so tall?

"Keep walking?" he asked.

"Yea."

The walked in silence through the woods. Lucious had one hand on his sword hilt. After the fear from the Hak'u like beasts, and the fear from dying from falling he seemed to be alight he seemed more like a solider. And definitely more attuned to the world.

"After this is over…Where are you going?" Lucious asked. He was on edge. Yael could simply feel that.

Yael didn't respond at first. She just chewed her bottom lip.

"Do you mean after we get out of the forest?" She asked.

"Yea, where are we going?"

"We?"

"Well you want to avenge Darren's murder and so do I. It makes us perfect for each other as partners!" he said with a bit of a smile.

"Yea, that could work…" She muttered not believing it. The only human she'd met that was any kind of smart was Darren, and now he was dead.

"So…" Lucious said.

She ignored him looking back into the forest.

As they had continued deeper into the edges of the forest the trees got shorter. Well, at least they weren't 100 feet anymore. The foliage became thinner too.

As they neared the edge of the forest they began to hear a noise, almost like somebody speaking.

"Who?" Lucious asked looking at Yael. He knew enough now to shut up.

She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. There were 4 or was it 5, people in this upcoming clearing.

"Lets suppose their friendly?" Lucious asked.

"Yea 'cus that always works." She muttered walking slowly, almost stalking toward the clearing.

She saw 2 dryads and one elf. There was another person in the tent. Injured maybe?

"Stay here" she whispered. She got a 'yup' from behind.

Yael slowly stepped out into the clearing. At first no one noticed her, but then one head came up from looking at the fire and the others followed his gaze. The group froze then the man who had seen her first relaxed while the others still stayed tense.

"Hey Yael." He said.

"Hey Ash, what are you doing out here? I thought you were ordered to take the civilians out of the forest and to one of the outlaying towns." She asked approaching the group.

"They got lost and _of course_, I was sent out to find them." He sighed.

"Who's in the tent?" She asked while turning around to wave for Lucious to come out.

"What? Oh... Right you're a mage…" he said pointing to her and nodding. "That's Anna. She's only nine."

"Nine years old?" Lucious asked stepping out from between the bushes and almost immediately tripping. Ash raised an eyebrow at luscious and then looked to Yael. She shrugged and he chuckled.

"Yes, I believe she is asleep right now." The woman from beside Ash said glancing back.

"You guys need to get out of here. Don't ask just get out, your right near the edge of the forest."

"Um… Can you help us out?" Ash asked.

"Sure, Just follow it's actually only a five minute walk." Yael explained pointing to the north.

"Ok I'll go wake up Anna." One of the woman said turning and moving into the makeshift tent.

The woman came out with the little girl clutching her sleeve. Anna's long blonde hair shielded her eyes that seemed to be viewing Yael and Lucious warily.

"Come on Anna, Its ok their friends." The woman who had never spoke said in a very interesting accent, almost like the Humans French accent. She was trying to get he girl to let go of her sleeve.

The little girl nodded and looked up very shyly. She was small pale but she has and odd shape about her face, almost _Elvin, _but this girl was human.

The woman beside her spoke up after seeing Yael study the girls features. "She's half human half elf," she said in her French accent. "I am her mother, Bella, and her father is human. I myself was raised in a human community; they tried to convince me I was human." She said almost happily. Bella glanced behind Yael and smiled. "Humans are great as companions, as I'm guessing you've already found out."

Yael stared dumbfounded. This woman liked humans? They forced her to believe she was a human. She should hate them. Humans cause almost all the problems in Arianna. Yael shook her head and put herself back into combat mode.

"Come on, let's go, you need to get to the settlement." Yael said leading the group away from the no longer burning fire.


	5. Chapter 5

Yael led the group in silence. It was easier this way. She could hear the forest properly. Lucious followed behind her a few steps away. The sky was beginning to lighten as they reached the edge of the forest. Ata's attack had been set up in the dead of night, and one of the darkest nights. No moon. Perfect for attack, but also perfect for escape.

She paused at the edge of the forest. Vast fields, mostly grassland, or bog, stretched out in front of them. It was easy to see the small settlement on the horizon to the west. The humans had clear cut the forest up to this point. At the time when they were going to destroy the Hak'u forests the Dryads had come to defend it.

"You guys can go to the town from here?" she asked looking over her shoulder. Bella nodded and took her daughters hand. They were terrified.

"Thank you." She said giving a warming smile to Yael. Yael smiled back, as they left off toward the town. Hopefully they didn't openly share that they were half breeds. Humans could be racist and the other races were racist to humans… Seemed reciprocal.

"Come on." Yael said walking toward the northern fields waving to Lucious to follow.

"Wait." Lucious said catching up to her in a jog. "Why are we going this way?" he demanded. "The town is that way!" he said pointing vigorously to the west.

"We're not going there." She said not facing him continuing to walk to the north. She needed to be out of the grounds of the forest to teleport them. She could just leave him. Hmm, that was an idea. No, if it was Darren she wouldn't.

Darren. It had caused a pang of hurt.

"Where are we going?" He asked catching up to her again. She snapped out of her hurt.

"A town. A _very_old town." she muttered then added "For now. After we get you to safety I'm going to go find Ata, kill him, and the question is when."

"When?" he asked. Yael felt like hitting him. He really was annoying. Maybe he wasn't trying to be…

"I don't know. I realized I was going to kill him about 5 months ago." She said looking at the sky as it slowly became brighter the village to the east was becoming more vivid.

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am." Lucious pressed.

"Yael sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose. Humans can be so stubborn.

She continued slowly while Lucious stood still. Hopefully he'd actually shut up for once.

"So where are we going?" He asked again walking beside her. Yael sighed. Spoke too soon.

"I have a friend, a girl I was friends with when I was very young. She left Eirulan A few years before I met Darren." Yael explained.

"A Dryad Friend?"

"No she's elf."

"Hmm..." Lucious said with a nod looking down

She half glared at Lucious. Why had he even had to ask if her friend was an Elf?

"Are we walking there?" He asked.

"No." Yael said and put her hand out. She smiled when he looked confused. It was cute to see how little humans knew about magic.

"Grab my hand." She told him. He put his hand in hers; she closed her eyes and started chanting. The spell was difficult but she could do it in a matter of seconds.

"Don't let go no matter what happens." She said sternly and finished the chant.

Wind rushed around them like before. The ground disappeared from beneath Lucious' feet and in about two seconds it re-appeared. He felt like he had been thrown across a field or pushed into something hard. It was hard to catch a breath. He let out a gasp. Yael had landed carefully like before. She'd managed to walk around before Lucious had even stood up. Even though he was still holding onto her. He'd held his breath this time.

"Oh, your learning." Yael said prying her hand from his grasp and looking around.

The ground had changed from grassland to mushy and dark green. There were tall trees surrounding them in all directions. It was darn luck that she hadn't hit a tree. Yael took a run toward one of the trees and ran up the side of it until she caught a branch, and from there continued up to the top. For a dryad climbing a tree was easy, almost like Magic for Yael.

Lucious stood at the bottom of the tree looking up. Yael was perched on the top branch.

"Were in the right area." Yael called down. Lucious glanced up the tree looking impressed.

"How do you know?" He stopped seeming to think about something for a seond. "And does the spell regularly put you in the wrong area?"

She jumped down beside him, by the way he looked she had just startled him. She raised an eyebrow and he regained his composure. He was funny sometimes.

"Come on." Yael said as she was walking toward a stone rock shelf.

"Why are we going this way?" Lucious asked. Was he really that thick?

"Use your eyes." Yael said pointing to the rock shelf. It was actually a gate to a town.

"Ohhh." Lucious said sounding a bit like a child who had just figured out a math problem. Humans were so young minded, even when they thought they had the world figured out there was something big they missed. The smart humans caused the worst problems

They walked toward the gates Lucious slightly behind Yael. There was a wrought iron gate in the rock, which was actually carved from the mountain side. The town had been built within a circle of mountains, and the designers, (who were human) had thought about the possibility for expainsion.

"Ingenious." Lucious muttered looking around in awe.

Yael ignored him. It was somewhat amazing he even knew that word. Althoguh he wasn't dumb, just….human.

A guard stepped out from the side of the gate. He watched Yael and Lucious as they approached. He had kinder eyes for her.

"Halt." The guard shouted when they were about four meters away. "State you business, name and fighting class."

Lucious leaned over Yael. "Why do they need to know our fighting class?" He whispered by her ear. She shoved him away they didn't need to look suspicious.

Yael glanced back to Lucious and took a step forward. "My name is Yael Turo from Eirulan, and this is my apprentice Lucious Dux. I am a mage, and he is…" She looked back to Lucious unsure of what to say.

"No need to explain for the human. You may enter." The guard said with a chuckle and the gates opened letting Lucious and Yael in. Lucious seemed to be confused at the guards attitude toward him. Did he really not understand at this point? Huamns weren't liked. They'd caused too many wars.

The town was not expanded to the gates yet, and there were some unoccupied homes. The town centere could already be seen from where they were.

"So what does this friend of yours look like?" Lucious asked. "Is she the stereotypical elf?"

Yael glared at Lucious and approached one of the farmers in the town. What did he even mean by stereotypical elf?

"Sir?" She asked tapping the man on his shoulder lightly. He turned around and seemed surprised to see her, or was it just because she was a dryad? He was old with white hair sticking out at all angles, and he was also an elf. He smiled a toothy smile with gaps.

"Yep?" He asked looking her up and down and then leaning to give a squinted stare at Lucious.

"This might sound odd, but is an elf girl named Yaname here?" Yael asked quietly. The Man looked back to her and smiled the toothy smile again.

"Ummm, yep, she's over there, at the ole shootin' range miss, yep." The man said pointing toward a section of the town.

"Thank you." Yael said shaking his hand.

"Yep." He muttered watching them.

She continued to smile until they go out of his eyesight then she pulled out a cloth and began to scrub the hay and mud off her hand. Lucious chuckled. Dryads didn't like to get dirty, at least to get overly dirty.

"You think this is funny?" Yael asked nodding towards to her hand.

"Yeah."

"Oh yeah?" She asked moving quickly and smearing the mud on one side of his face.

"Hey!" He said jumping back rubbing his face angrily.

"Come on idiot." She said laughing quietly walking around the side of a building. The archery range came into view. At first Yael could see no one, just arrows being shot off at incredible speed hitting the hay stacks with bull's-eye painted on them. Arrows were hitting the bulls-eyes in the center of almost all of them. As they rounded the corner fully the archer came into view to collect her arrows, and went for another round. Lucious caught up to Yael as she leaned on the barrier used to protect people from getting into range of the arrows.

The archer finished and retrieved her arrows she turned looking along the barrier and froze when she spotted Yael. Her eyes wide in shock and a smile spreading across her face.

She tilted her head and walked slowly toward Yael smile still there.

"Is it you?" She called approaching them seeming confused and delighted.

"That depends."

"Yael?"

"Yes Yaname, It is." Yael said using her hand to push herself up and over the barrier. "Naw, its some random Dryad who knows your name."

"Yael!" Yaname said dropping her bow and hugging Yael. "I haven't seen you in forever!" She said sounding as if she was half crying. The two girls seemed ecstatic together.

Yael pulled back first and Yaname smiled happily.

"We should go somewhere!" Yaname said after wiping grime from her face.

"Sure." Yael said heading back towards the barrier. Yaname bent down and grabbed her bow wiping it off on her shirt.

The three of them had stopped in the inn, which doubled as the pub. Mostly for Yaname and Yael to catch up.

"So you two know each other from childhood?" Lucious asked taking a swig from his drink. Some human invention called beer. Horrid stuff. Yael has sniffed it when he got the drink. It was very…unattractive.

"Yea. Well pretty much." Yaname said she seemed to have no problem with answering Lucious' questions. She didn't even bother to mention that he was a human. "We met when we were both eight?" She said adding a question tone on eight toward Yael.

"Nine." Yael said with a smile. She looked back to her drink giving it a stir.

"Right! We met when we were nine." Yaname said turning back to Lucious. "I was training to become an archer, Yael a mage," Yaname turned back to Yael "though you started training when you were what? Three?" Yaname asked.

"Something like that."

"Well I had to move to this town, which had a very small elf population at the time. Its main population was human. Yael's the first dryad to step in the town's boundaries for ten years." Yaname explained mostly to Lucious. She sounded very proud for some reason.

"Umm hmm." Lucious said taking another sip from his glass. He looked up to meet Yamane's stare.

"What?" Lucious said after she didn't break eye contact.

"You look like…" She paused glancing over to Yael. She didn't seem sure of what to say. Yaname looked back to Lucious "Darren." Yael looked down to her drink. She didn't want to talk about this now.

"I'm his brother." Lucious said. Neither Yaname or Lucious were looking at each other. They were both looking toward Yael. Yael looked up between the two faces.

"Oh shut up!" Yael yelled standing up from the table and stomping away. The bar had gone silent.

"She's still hurting eh?" Yaname asked turning back to Lucious who was still looking after Yael. The bar become louder again. No doubt everyone was talking about "that angry dryad".

"Uh huh." Lucious said with a nod. "I'm gonna go see if she's ok."

Yaname put a hand on his arm as he past. "You go to bed, I'll go see her, I know her better."

"Thanks." Lucious said seeming much happier.

"For?" Yaname asked.

"Getting me out of talking to her. She can be pretty scary. She doesn't really like humans." Lucious said with a smile.

"There is a reason for that. But if you want to know you'll have to ask her yourself." Yaname muttered making a motion with her hand. She smiled mockingly.

"Yea, I'm gonna skip that. You can touch that topic if you want. I'm going to bed."

Yaname entered Yael's room without knocking. Yael was sitting on her bed, her legs crossed. Her hands were held just above her legs, and in her hands was a flame. One single orange flame.

"Yael?"

The flame went out.

"What?" Yael asked her eyes open now. She looked tired.

"Are you okay?"

"Okay is such a bland word." Yael stopped when she saw Yaname was serious. "Yes I am fine."

"I see your still up to your old tricks." Yaname said sitting beside Yael.

"That's a bit of an understatement." Yael muttered and then flicked her fingers. A ball of fire appeared. Yaname smiled and Yael began to bounce a ball of fire between her hands.

"Do you want to talk…?" Yaname asked.

"Not really. I'm going to bed."

"Yael you can't run form your past."

"I'm really not Yaname. I'm heading towards it. I'm finding the bastard who killed him Yana. I'm, going to kill him."

Yaname stared at Yael. "What made you so angry? Yael you weren't like this."

"Well you haven't seen me in years Yaname. My family is dead, My…" she paused closing her eyes, blink back tears. "Darren is dead. I'm not going to say something corny like all I have is anger, but I need to do this. Please let me do this Yaname."

"I wasn't going to stop you." Yaname said putting a hand on her friends' hand. "But I am coming with you."

"I guess I do kinda owe you that."

"Yes you kinda do." Yaname smiled.

"I'm going to bed Yana. You should go home."

"Okay," Yaname stood up and looked back down to Yael who was now lying down. "I am coming with you though.

"Sure." Yael muttered just loud enough for Yaname to hear.


	6. Chapter 6

**Guys, These past chapters have been re-edited so I'd suggest re-reading if you haven't already. **

**Enjoy!**

The next morning when Yael awoke she was welcomed by the sent of smoke wafting up from the inn bar. Yael really didn't like smoke, especially after what happened in Eirulan. She sat up and stretched letting her brown hair fall back over her shoulders. She preferred not so see sun this early in the morning. In Eirulan the trees would block out most of the sun until mid-day. She ran her fingers through her hair finding the uncomfortable knots. Sighing, she walked over to her bag, which was lying in the corner of the room. Brushing her hair wouldn't take that long.

When she was done Yael walked out into the bar-room. Lucious was sitting at the bar laughing with the bartender. He turned as Yael approached.

"Hey," he said with a smile. "Yaname said she'd like to come with us." He smiled. 'oh I know.' Yael thought walking up behind Lucious.

"We're leaving." Yael said slipping a gold coin over to the bartender. He nodded and walked over to the inn keeper who nodded and waved to her.

Lucious looked at her seeming confused.

"But what about…"

"She's not coming." Yael interrupted. "I don't want to endanger her too." Yael said walking out into the sunlight and then squinting. It was brighter without trees, and hotter.

"Is this a pride thing?…" He asked pulling his pack over his back, and following her out.

"Maybe but you don't get to find out, now come." Yael said leading him to the exit of the town.

The guards had waved goodbye, at least to Yael as the two had left. Lucious kept trying to get Yael to talk, and she denied him each time. She didn't want small talk. Yaname would be upset that she'd been left behind. In truth Yael had no idea where to go.

She scratched her head thoughtfully. This was definitely annoying.

"You're upset." Lucious muttered.

"Hmm?" Yael asked glancing over to him.

"You're upset about Yaname. I mean you haven't seen her in a while right?"

"Yea, I haven't seen her in years, but even though she's changed physically, she's still the same to me." Yael finished by smiling kindly at Lucious. It didn't work always being harsh to him. Humans were known for their anger.

Lucious nodded. They were getting deeper into the forest as they walked and it began to get darker. Something wasn't right. It hadn't been right for a while but Yael had thought it was just the differences between forests. Something was wrong.

Yael stopped and Lucious paused just in front of her.

"What?" he asked. Lucious looked at her. She was staring at the ground, but not really seeing it.

"Someone is coming." She whispered. Vibrations, not in the ground but in the air around them. Whoever it was they had a huge magical presence. Yael's eyes snapped up to the path in front of them. Lucious listened intently and he heard a sound of a step. And then another.

"Who?" Lucious whispered.

"Don't' know." Yael said. She was un-nerved. The likely-hood was that this was just a normal person but there was something foreboding about this person. Not to mention the magic vibrations. It was odd that humans didn't notice it. At least most humans.

Down the path the man appeared from behind a curve in the path. He was wearing a dark cloak and black linen clothing. Yael raised an eyebrow as he approached. He had magic pulsing around him, but he didn't scream 'threat'.

He looked at Yael and Lucious. His eyes were an extremely dark brown. The air pulsed around him. She'd seen this before, but where? Pulsing magic…

"Are you Yael?" He asked in a monotone voice. He approached Yael and Lucious slowly. But not carefully. He was overconfident.

"Who are you?" Yael asked ignoring his question. He was an elf. A very odd elf.

"Are you Yael?" He growled. He wasn't giving any space for questions.

"Yes." Yael said watching him warily. Lucious was standing slightly to the side of her. She could tell he was also on edge. This man was dangerous.

"I have message for you." He said simply.

"And?" Yael asked raising an eyebrow.

"He knows you're looking for him. He wants you to come. He is in a castle of snow pine but not the castle you know."

"Alright then…Thank you." Yael said looking to Lucious. He was still staring at the man. Lucious' expression suddenly changed. He quickly looked back to Yael as if to warn her.

"Yael. What is he doing?" he asked sounding alarmed.

Yael turned just to see something coming at her. The bolt of magic hit her just as she set of a spell to send an attack back. Yael was thrown back as the spell hit her. The attack had thrown her back but had also locked itself onto her. Absorbing into her. She could feel it latching onto her. The man was destroyed as soon as her spell hit him. He was almost pulverized, or disintegrated. Yael felt a sudden pain. Her body was burning. She was lying at the bottom of a tree, some how she'd hit the trunk and not noticed.

Lucious stood in shock and then turned back to Yael who was trying to stand. She hurt. She burned.

"Whoa. What did you do to him?" He asked looking back and forth between the pile of ashes that was the man, and Yael.

"Incendiary spell." She said and then promptly coughed. Her throat was burning. Yael stood and then reeled. Lucious caught her as she fell.

"Are you ok?" he asked sounding genuinely scared. Yael nodded and stood again but almost immediately collapsed. Lucious came to his knees beside her.

"Not really." She corrected. What was going on? Her voice was a hiss and she could barely catch her breath. No, she couldn't really breathe. Her breaths were coming in as hisses now. It would be easier not to breathe. She looked up to Lucious wide eyed. He didn't seem to know what to do. Her breaths were shudders now, or maybe she was shivering. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to think. Yael felt all the energy go from her arms, which had been holding her up. Her arms buckled and she fell to the ground.

"Lucious…" she hissed and the world began to go black.

Lucious knelt beside Yael absolutely terrified. She'd collapsed, she was sick. Oh god she was injured.

"Yael!" he yelled shaking her. He began to look around quickly. What could he do to help? Maybe leave her and find help. No he wouldn't' be able to find her again.

"What the hell am I doing?" he muttered angrily. Lucious maneuvered himself into a crouch and slipped his arms under Yael picking her up easily. Even with her pack she was light. He supported her shoulders and neck with one arm and under her knees with the other.

"Don't you dare die on me." He whispered turning back in the direction of the town.

She pulled in another shuddering breathe that seemed to catch in her throat. For a dryad she was pale, but now she was very pale. Her usual green skin was an eerie green white.

When she shivered in his arms he pulled her closer to him.

"You've saved my ass Yael, and here I'm gonna repay it."

Yael shuddered again and he felt her breathing stop.

"No!" he shouted and pulled the arm that was under her neck to the back of her chest. He gave her a hard hit on the back and she cried out, bringing in another breath. Her eyes were now open to slits but they weren't shining like normal. They were bleak.

She coughed, which may have been an attempt at speaking.

"Its ok," he whispered beginning to run as she seemed to fade again. "We're almost there, you'll be ok Yael. Please be ok." He put his head to hers and she heard a laugh up ahead. He began to run as fast as he could. The town could only be a few minutes walk.

He spotted a guard who saw him almost instantly and the mans eyes fell to Yael in Lucious' arms. The Elf ran to him offering to take her. Lucious shook his head.

"No, go get Yaname. She might know what to do." The elf paused. "GO!" Lucious yelled and the man, looking startled, turned and ran into the town. Before Lucious reached the first building inside the town Yaname came running. She stopped in her steps when she saw Yael.

"What…" she hissed running over to Lucious and taking Yael from him. Lucious didn't bother to fight. This girl was almost as frightening as Yael.

"This way." Yaname said beginning to run. 'Elves are surprising' he thought to himself. Yaname must only be a maximum of 10 pounds heavier than Yael but she managed to run with the girl in her arms.

Yaname placed Yael on the ground in front of a building and motioned for Lucious to go in.

"Get Herbalist Nana." Yaname ordered quickly. "She'll help, say its Yaname's friend asking."

Lucious nodded and ran into the house. He spun on the spot when he entered the house and then spotted the older woman staring at him.

"Help. Please." He said motioning out.

The woman nodded and picked up a small leather bag off a nearby table. Lucious ran out back to Yael and Yaname. Yaname spotted him and began to take off her leather gloves. She unlatched them and bit the end of a finger pulling the glove of with her teeth.

"What's wrong with the dryad Yaname?" The woman asked kneeling down beside Yaname. Yael was awake, and gasping. Her gasps were raspy at best. She was looking between Yaname and staring off in some random direction. When she blinked her eyes closed for a long time.

"You really need to ask him." Yaname said quickly pointing to Lucious. She hadn't even looked up from Yael to look at him.

"So boy?" the woman asked looking to Lucious. "Speak up."

Lucious sat down on the opposite side of Yael and began to talk. "She was hit with some kind of spell. He attacked her and she killed him before his spell hit." The woman nodded.

"Dark magic?" She asked, pronouncing magic as if it was spelt with a "k".

"I think so."

The woman nodded and checked Yael's fingers. She looked back up to Lucious.

"What colour was it boy?" The woman asked. She wasn't being rude, but she just seemed to like calling him boy. Luscious looked at her confused. "The magic!"

"Umm, a purple, with a black…aura."

"You're sure?" She asked. He didn't know if aura was the best word to use.

"Yeah." Lucious said looking down to Yael. She was staring at him, her eyes slits. She looked pained. He touched her fingers lightly. 'Oh god.' He thought. Her fingers were ice. She was dying.

"Very well, hold her down and open her eyes." Lucious' head snapped up. Yaname placed her fingers over Yael's eyes, pulling them open.

"Lucious! Hold her down." Yaname said insistently. He leant over Yael and put his weight on her wrists.

Nana pulled out a small vial and a pouch for holding water. Only the liquid that came out of the pouch wasn't water. It was black and judging by the way it sizzled when it hit the leather outside, corrosive.

"She will struggle, and you may want to stop the pain, but do not let go of her. That is critical." Yaname nodded. "Got it boy?" The woman asked.

"Yes maim."

"Alright." Nana looked up, there was a crowd growing around them. "Any of you interfere, and I will personally poison the food supply."

The crowd took an instant step back. The woman could be quiet scary.

"Here we go." Nana said. She leaned over Yael the little vial in hand. She held the bottle over Yael's eyes. Unlike someone who is completely awake, Yael's eyes weren't darting about. She was just staring up with the occasional movement. She shuddered again as the vial was tipped. A single drop of the black liquid was poured out and Nana quickly did the other eye before Yael could react.

At first Yael was silent, the liquid turning her beautiful green eyes black. And then she began to shake.

"Let go of her eyes! Now!" Nana hissed and Yaname pulled back letting Yael blink.

Yael screamed as her eyes closed. She began to convulse and writhe in pain. Lucious found himself on top of her to hold her down properly. Where he was holding her suddenly became hot, and as soon as the heat was there, it was gone. After a few extenuating seconds she fell limp. Completely silent.

"Yael?" Lucious whispered. She was so still. If this hadn't worked…

"Get off her boy. We need to take her inside." Nana said quickly putting the vial back into her bag.

Lucious nodded and got off Yael. He'd straddled her to stop her from moving. He picked Yael up uner the knees and Leaned her head against his chest. She wasn't cold anymore. Just not…warm. 'pleas let her be ok.' He thought.

They entered into the house and the woman nodded towards a room. Lucious walked in closely followed by Yaname.

"Down on the bed, and watch her. She might relapse." The call came from the main room.

Lucious put Yael down carefully making sure she'd be comfortable when she woke. Lying like this she seemed so delicate, unlike when she was awake. She always seemed full of fire.

"Yaname?" Nana asked motioning to the main room.

"Of course Nana." Yaname said with a smile. She followed the older elf out of the room.

Lucious looked down to Yael. She was so quiet from the pain she'd had earlier. He leaned over and carefully brushed strand of hair from her face. His fingers strayed over her skin, she was so soft.

Lucious sat back down in the chair and watched her. He felt turmoil, but turmoil about what? He had no idea.

"Yael." He muttered putting his face in his hands. He looked through his fingers, hoping for any kind of movement. Any change.

"Boy!" the shout came from the other room.

"Coming." He called back standing up in a quick movement, his eyes only on Yael. He turned to the door of the room, and found he was facing two bowls of hot soup held by Yaname.

"Thanks…" He said looking down at it.

"Ones for Yael, when she wakes." Yaname explained walking around him and placing one of the bowls on a small wooden table.

"Here." Yaname said, holding the other bowl out to him. He grabbed the bowl that Yaname wasn't really paying attention to. She held it out and then bent slightly to look at Yael.

He sniffed it and promptly put it down on a side table by the door.

"Eat it boy!" The woman called which caused Lucious to jump. How the hell had she known he'd put it down?

"Nothing gets past her Lucious, so don't even try." Yaname said with a playful smile.

Lucious glowered. He really didn't want it. Lucious sat and picked up the bowl. The actual bowl seemed to be a roughly made pottery. He scooped goodness knows what into his spoon. Reluctantly putting it in his mouth caused somewhat of a surprise.

The soup was actually quite good, and strangely he felt warm after eating it. He looked up to Yaname, whose bowl was already empty on the floor. He hadn't even seen Yamane eat it. She was holding Yael's hand whispering to her. Lucious found himself standing. He walked over the small room in 3 steps. He kneeled beside the bed.

"Any change?" He asked stopping himself from grabbing Yael's hand.

"Not that I can tell." Yaname said standing. She picked up her bowl and grabbed his on the way out. Yaname smiled on the way out, shutting the door slightly.

Lucious took the now unoccupied seat. He could hear Yaname and the woman speaking in the other room.

"Yael" he muttered brushing his fingers over hers. She wasn't cold anymore.

"Please wake up." He whispered holding her hand carefully in his. So delicate and soft. He brought the slender fingers to his lips and kissed them carefully. "Please, just not you. Don't die please. Wake up." He wondered if maybe she could fell his breath of her fingers, or anything at all. He kissed her fingers again.

"Please Yael."

Three hours had passed since Yael had first been put in Nana's house. She still hadn't spoken. Lucious sat in the chair, completely refusing to move.

"Boy, you really should get up. I don't think that chair can take your weight for this long." Nana said walking into the room. Even for an old elf, she didn't seem like an old woman.

Lucious stood and walked over to her. He glanced back to Yael. "When is she going to wake up? What if…" he didn't finish the question out loud. Dead. What if she was dead?

"She's not dead, and Son, I have very little experience with this cure, I've only used it once before."

"But thank you for keeping the cure." Yaname said from behind Nana. The woman gave a kind smile to Yaname.

"You're quite welcome Yaname dear." The woman said turning slightly.

There was a cough from the bed. Lucious froze.

"Idiot…" Yael muttered. Lucious was at the bed side in an instant followed by Yaname who stood on the opposite side.

She looked up at him, her eyes barely open. She smiled when she saw him.

"Yael you're awake." He couldn't help the happiness that flooded his voice. She wasn't dead!

"My dear," Nana said "How are you feeling?" She leaned over Yael, holding Yael's wrist.

"Tired, and…I don't know." Yael muttered her eyes closing again.

"Yes hmm alright." Nana said bustling out of the room quickly and re-entering it almost instantly. In her hand was the same bag as before. Lucious shuddered. Yael was going to be put through this again.

"Boy, and Yaname, same as before." Nana said walking up beside Lucious. "Yael my dear," she said addressing Yael "This is going to hurt, but if we don't do it, you will die."

Yael didn't open her eyes, she just barely nodded.

Yaname leaned over and opened Yael's eyes, and Yael began to struggle. Lucious grabbed Yael's upper arms, knowing how she almost sat up last time when he held her wrists. Yael's arms came up in an "L" shape, her hands grabbing onto the back of Lucious' arms.

Nana leaned over and dripped the black liquid into Yael's eyes. Yael screamed the second the liquid touched her eyes. She began to writhe, but not as violent as the first time. Yael's nails dug into Lucious' arms and he felt a burning heat on his arms where her hands were.

"Shit!" he swore sliding his hands down to her elbows to stop the contact of her hands to his flesh.

Like before the screams and writhing slowed and then stopped quickly. Lucious let go of Yael's arms. Yael was left sobbing on the bed her breaths coming fast. She was breathing properly! As quickly as it had started it had stopped, Yael going silent again. She'd lost consciousness and she breathed slowly.

There was a tap on Lucious' shoulder. "Come boy lets get those burns looked at." Lucious tilted his head to look at the back of his upper arms. There was a red burn mark in the shape of Yael's had on the back of each arm. The woman tapped him again to get him to follow her.

Luscious followed her into the main room. Nana walked over to a large table in the centre of the room.

"Sit Boy." She said nodding to a long bench with a gray pillow. She didn't actually make eye contact.

Lucious sat and looked back at his arm again. Nana came back over to him holding a large container with a white salve in it.

"Healing Salve." She said answering an un-asked question. "Now stop moving." She said turning his head away form his arm.

Nana began to move behind him, readying ingredients.

"She'll be ok right?" Lucious asked.

"Likely. Yes." She began to spread something on his right arm. He shivered. "Stop moving!" She said again keeping a firm grip on his arm.

He sat obediently still.

"You were good you know?" Nana said her tone changing to the kind woman again. Lucious turned back to look at her and was met with a paper whacked on his face. "Stop. Moving." There was the commanding woman.

Lucious was turned away again. "Good doing what?"

"You brought her back. Some people would wait to see if the person would recover. You did the best thing Lucious. You also kept her conscious. That was good. It means the curse couldn't fully infect her."

"Curse?" he asked almost turning. He was given anther whack of his head from the rolled up paper.

"It's a tracking spell. The man was trying to track her." Nana said moving onto his other arm. "When the person being tracked kills the tracker the curse is activated."

"How…"

"I was in great wars son. I know my spells. The way you described it," she smeared the salve on his arm, "I knew exactly what it was."

"But it didn't…"

"Look like a curse? How could a human like you know? If I'm correct, and I likely am, you have no magical abilities boy." Nana moved back to the first arm taking something scratchy to his arm. Strangely it didn't hurt. "When a tracking spell is cast a part of the caster's soul, or life, is pushed into the spell. This lets the spell properly work. This also means the caster can feel the life force of the person they are tracking at all times."

Lucious rose an eyebrow feeling somewhat confused.

"Humans..." Nana muttered. "When Yael killed her tracker, she caused the curse to activate. What I used on her, on the first dose, Cause the curse to hibernate."

"But if it's hibernating…"

"Let me finish!" Nana said whacking him over the head again. He shrunk to avoid being hit again.

"The second dose should dispel the curse. And from the way she reacted, and the burns on your arms, it was dispelling."

"So the burns are the curse?" He asked not daring to look back at his arms.

"No the burns are her power coming back to her. She's using magic again boy. That means she's beginning to get better." Nana said scrubbing the second arm with the scratchy cloth.

"Did anything else happen?" She asked.

"You mean with the man?"

"Yes boy."

"Well he did say something…"

"What did he say?" Yaname said from across the room. She was leaning in the doorway to Yael's room.

"Um I think it was 'He knows you're looking for him. He wants you to come. He is in a castle of snow pine but not the castle you know.' Or something like that."

Yaname scratched her chin and turned back into Yael's room.

"He?" Nana asked "May I ask who is this he?"

"Someone Yael and I are looking for. An old friend of hers turned enemy."

Nana nodded and then began to pick up her things.

"You're done boy, and Yes Yaname?" Nana said not looking over to Yaname. Yaname had managed to enter the room again, without making any noise.

"I wanted to speak to Lucious."

"Go head, its not like I need him." Nana glanced down to Lucious. "Sorry boy."

Yaname motioned for Lucious to come to her. She walked into Yael's room. Lucious couldn't help but look at his arms. Instead of the red blistering burn there was only a dull pink mark on his arms.

"Whoa." He muttered and then looked up to Nana who nodded at him

"You're welcome." She said. "Oh and," she turned around and picked up a bowl filled with soup. "Please take this in to Yael."

Lucious nodded and then froze. "What?"

"You'll see, now don't spill any boy." She handed Lucious the bowl.

Lucious took the bowl and began to turn when a hand was placed on his arm. "Listen boy, the cure, it can cause some…changes. Not mental or magical but physical. It depends on how the cure affected her."

When Lucious entered into Yael's room he almost forgot he was carrying a hot bowl of soup. He only remembered when it split over his hand burning it.

"Yael!" he said staring in shock.

She looked up and smiled weakly. He made his way to her bed and handed her the bowl of soup which she placed on her lap.

"How are you feeling?" Lucious asked moving beside Yaname. Yael rubbed her eyes.

"Better. Weak still though." She coughed lightly. Her voice was so quiet. She looked back up to Lucious with a smile. "Thanks."

Lucious barely heard her. He was staring at her eyes. Nana had said there would be changes. Yaname put a hand on his shoulder. "Not now." She whispered.

Lucious looked away from Yael. What would she say about the change? She loves her eyes.

Nana came in and smiled and Yael. "How are you feeling dear?"

Yael laughed quietly. "Better thanks." She whispered.

"And I see there are some changes, I'm sorry but it is a side effect."

"Changes?" Yael asked her forehead wrinkling.

"Hmm yes well we'd better let you see dear." The elf walked over to one of the small tables by the door and picked up a piece of round glass. As she passed Lucious he saw that it was painted silver on one side.

Yael looked into the glass and blinked. She put a hand up to her left eye and looked stunned. Her left eye had a streak of black in the bright green. Almost like a tree branch shadow in her iris. Just one thin black branch.

"The cure I was using Yael," Nana said after a few minutes of silence "Was acidic."

Yael looked up to Nana. "Acidic?" she whispered. "As in corrosive?"

"Yes, my dear that's why it caused you so much pain. That and it was dispelling the Curse." She smiled. "Cursed don't like to be dispelled."

Yael nodded and looked back down to her soup. The mirror was set down beside her leg.

Yael looked up to Nana, wanting to ask so much.

"Please, Yaname and boy, leave." Nana said looking at Yaname and then back to Yael.

Lucious followed Yaname out looking back to Yael. He pulled the door behind him letting it slowly close.

"You discount him you know?" Nana said when the door shut.

"Who? Lucious?"

"Yes, Lucious." Nana said.

"But he's a..."

"I know he's a human and humans can have very little trust put into them, but he did save you."

"He…What?"

"He brought you back to the town. He's not as 'idiot' as you make him out to be." Nana said and she glanced down to the soup. "Eat."

Yael looked down to the soup and sighed. She took the spoon and drank. She felt warmth spread though her body almost instantly. This was magical. She looked up to Nana alarmed. The woman smiled and tapped her nose.

Yael found herself guzzling the hot soup, her throat complaining afterward.

"Yes it is magical and yes, you do have more energy now."

"How do you know…?"

"What you're thinking? Isn't it obvious?"

"Your physic."

"Exactly dear."

"But…"

"No Lucious doesn't know, and honestly I'm upset that he didn't put the pieces together. Yes, Yaname knows she guessed a day after meeting me. She is a smart girl."

Yael smiled holding in a snicker.

"No, Lucious is not an idiot Yael. Like I said before, you don't give the boy enough credit. He may be under…developed but all humans are."

"What do you mean?" Yael asked swinging her legs out of bed. She was feeling _much_ better.

"Lucious has a few surprises. He's not an idiot, and he is much more open minded than most humans." Yael raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say, he may care about more than you know."

Yael paused not knowing what to make of this. She felt fuller. She had her energy back. Yael stood up and hugged the woman. "Thank you Nana."

"You should also thank your friends Yael."

"I will." Yael said bending over to pick up her pack. She'd heard what the man had said; she knew where she needed to go. A quick teleport would do it.

"Yael." A cautioning hand came out to grab her arm. "Remember the problem with Teleporting. That kind of advanced magic can cause problems. You know that Yael. No more than twice a day Yael."

"I know the risks Nana. Teleporting is necessary in certain situations such as this one."

"Be careful Yael. Lucious and Yaname can't loose you Yael."

"I know." Yael said watching Nana. "Believe me I know."


	7. Chapter 7

"We're leaving already?" Luscious asked as Yael exited past him through the house. She moved swiftly. Time was important. Lucious turned to Yaname for the response he didn't get from Yael.

"Of course we are." Yaname said calmly to Lucious, she gave a slight smile and followed Yael without a question. Her pace was similar to Yael's and Yaname quickly caught up with Yael.

"Yael, you sure it's ok to start out so soon? I mean you just woke up."

Yael paused in mid step and then lightly sighed. "I know what you're insinuating Yaname." Yael said looking over and then smiling at her friend. She knew the hesitant voice Yaname had offered was with care. Yael looked around the town slowly, she needed to leave. She glanced over to a walkway heading out of the village and she squinted her eyes to see. The sun was strong today, brighter than usual. Was it possible her changes to her eye were letting her see more? "It'll be fine." She said looking back to Yaname. What she really wanted to say was 'Will Ata be resting? How likely would it be for him to take a break?' As long as they stayed here they were in-dangering the village.

"So long as you're sure." Yaname said quietly, touching Yael's hand and smiling. Yael returned the smile and gripped Yaname's hand tightly. Yaname had been Yael's only friend when she was little; they'd go out on trips to the Hak'u forest together. By the looks of Yaname's pack she'd been ready to go out and "adventure" as soon as the moment arrived. She had her bow slung over her shoulder and the quiver, as well as a traveling pack, on her back. Yael glanced back to the hut seeing the woman talking to Lucious attentively. He nodded and then was pushed forward toward the two waiting girls. Lucious looked back over his shoulder as the woman re-entered the hut.

"Took you long enough." Yael said slightly annoyed. She didn't know why she was always so brash with Lucious. He just annoyed her so easily.

"Sorry, I," He was interrupted by both girls grabbing one his hands. He glanced down to each of the hands and then up to Yael. She had her eyes closed and seemed to be focusing. They were now standing in a small circle.

"Don't let go you two. Especially you Lucious." Yael said she'd meant the last part to be a warning but it came out a bit wrong. With her eyes still closed, she began to chant. Snow pine, the fortress. Ata's fortress. Somewhere safe first. She hadn't been to that "safe" fortress in years. Safe was good, but the question came to, was it still safe? A lot can change in 5 years. Yael gripped Lucious hand a little harder then she should and she felt a reassuring squeeze back. She finished the last piece of the chant and they were suddenly pulled backwards, the air being pulled from their lungs. In the few seconds it took the teleport to transfer them over the large distances she felt the temperature change from warm, to hot and then to freezing.

The three landed in snow. Calf deep snow. They'd landed on the side of a snow coated cliff. Tall pine trees surrounded them, their branches covered in snow from days or weeks of snowfall. The snow had been left untouched and wasn't distorted except for the occasional animal track. Yael reacted instinctively to the cold, creating a bubble of warmth around her. It was just a simple flex of her muscles but the bubble reacted along with her. Forming to her body and, a little further out just for good measure. The snow within the bubble melted away in seconds. Yael flexed her fingers; the bubble also stopped the wind from touching her body. She looked up to her companions. Yaname looked very distressed, she was holding her arms to her body tightly, but yet still she was shaking hard. Lucious was in the same shape only he had a bit more armor on then Yaname. She should have warned these two that the weather where they'd be heading would be cold. Yaname would never have experienced anything like this, being an elf. She was used to warm fields, cool forests, but never snow. Yael didn't know about Lucious, humans lived in some of the weirdest environments.

"Here." Yael said reaching her hands out to touch her friends. As soon as her hands made contact with them she urged the bubble expand to cover both Yaname and Lucious. Yael could actually see her bubble expanding over them. It was a type of energy; she knew neither of her friends could see it. The sight was a mage thing. Yaname sighed happily and Lucious just smiled as Yael felt the bubble's close and separate from Yael's original bubble. Yaname glanced up to Yael and sheepishly mouthed 'Thanks'. She didn't like to be weak. Yael was the same way.

"The shield will move with you, just stay in my range and the shield will stay active." Yael explained walking forward. She needed to figure out exactly where they landed. She glanced up the opposite cliff wall.

"Ah." She said in a matter of fact tone. They were quite a ways down. She hadn't been here in years but she was very off with her teleport.

"Ah?" Lucious asked coming up behind her.

"We need to get up there." Yael said motioning up the cliff. "We're set on the edge of the pathway up to Snow Pine Fortress. We'll have to make our way up and around the mountain to reach the Fortress." Yael looked up the path that did head up and then wind around out of view. This might be dangerous. She could try a short distance teleportation spell…

"Fun." Lucious said sounding as if he didn't mean fun at all. More like torture. He muttered something under his breath which Yael didn't catch.

Yael turned back to Yaname to propose the short distance teleportation and Yaname wasn't there. Yael stood for a second in shock and then looked to the shallow path of recently fallen snow. She'd began to walk up!

"Come on Lucious." Yael called behind her as she ran to catch up with Yaname.

I wasn't too hard, Yaname was only walking.

"Hey, I was going to investigate first." Yael said as she showed to Yaname's pace.

"I. Hate. Snow." Yaname said tightly. She still had her arms wrapped around her even though she should be warm in the shield. She was almost radiating anger. She really didn't like weather changes.

"With the shield it just melts away thought." Yael said a little confused. Yael'd experienced snow before but she'd never been too upset about it.

"Its just that… I'm not supposed to ever be in snow. Can we make the human carry us?" She asked. Yaname tilted her head sideways looking at Yael from the corner of her eyes. There was the joking tone that screamed Yaname. Yael giggled along with her friend.

"I think he'd hate us for that." Yael said with a chuckle. She turned back to see Lucious running along the snow back, a pathway of melted snow forming behind him.

"Here's our pack mule now." Yaname whispered to Yael, causing her to laugh.

"What?" Lucious asked slowing to the girl's pace.

"Don't worry about it Lucious." Yaname said. "Yael's just teasing you."

"Hey!" Yael half-shouted looking to Yaname.

"And now I'm teasing Yael." Yaname said to Lucious putting an arm over his shoulder.

"Come on you two." Yael said taking a lead. "We need to keep some good time."

"So how long should it take us to climb up?" Lucious asked detaching himself from Yaname. He ducked under her arm and quickened to match Yael's pace.

"Not entirely sure." Yael muttered. "It'll take at least a few hours."

"Shouldn't be too bad." Lucious said giving a friendly smile.

The mountain path twisted and turned as the trio made their way up the cliff edge. Near the top, which actually attached onto another mountain range, it was easy to see where they were headed. A large fortress, which seemed to be made of huge slabs of stone.

"The stone's from the valley." Yael explained moving forward. Even though there was no water, a mote blocked the path to the fortress. Yael approached the dry mote that was filled with snow. She took a hesitant step forward and then jumped. She flew across the mote with ease and landed against the wall.

"Um, Yael?" Yaname asked watching her friend in disbelief. Yaname hadn't actually seen Yael do anything more than basic magic. Except for the teleport of course.

"She ever done anything like this before?" Lucious asked as he and Yaname watched Yael scale the wall.

"Nope, but I did last see her yearssss ago." Yaname stretched the "s" syllable on years to make it seem longer. Lucious had actually never heard an elf speak like that they were usually formal. It made Yaname a bit more human-like.

Yael pulled herself over the wall to come over just beside a soldier.

"Holy shit!" The soldier yelled and quickly tried to push Yael back. She fell from the wall and righted herself hovering in the air.

"Stand down." Yael ordered. "I'm a friend of Geroy's."

"Lord Geroy…?" The soldier asked tentatively.

"Yes," Yael said angrily. "Now lower the drawbridge solider and let my friends in."

The soldier stuttered for a moment. "Yes… Ma'am" He said moving across the walkway to the gate control tentatively. Yael hopped down from the side of the wall into the fortress. She faced a few soldiers who seemed to be a bit nervous about her being here.

"I'm safe boys." She said to the group who didn't seem to take her word for it. The gears from the draw bridge creaked as it was lowered.

Yaname came into view first followed by Lucious. Yaname was shivering again.

"Your shield failed Yael." Yaname said moving toward the building. She was quickly blocked by a group of soldiers holding swords and bows.

"Please ma'am's and sir. We need to get an acknowledgement from the lord." The commanding soldier said.

"For?" Yael asked.

"We need to make sure you three are friends of Snowpine." He responded.

"Believe me soldier, we're friends." Yael said. She knew he wouldn't take that as an answer though.

"I need to make sure Ma'am." He said strongly. If Yael really wanted to destroy Snowpine fortress, or kill its habitants, they'd be dead. "Please unarm yourselves, if you are deemed safe then the weapons will be returned to you."

Yael nodded and stood with Lucious and Yaname. They were surrounded by soldiers who seemed to be at unease. The presence of a Dryad usually made humans a little uneasy. Dryads were considered a bit… rare. A Human, Dryad and Elf traveling together was almost unheard of. Yael nodded again and pulled up her skirt yanking the dagger from its holster and handing it to the nearest soldier. Lucious grumbled as he un sheathed his sword and handed it off too. Yaname put her bow on the ground and slid it over to the group. The soldiers collected the weapons and held them awkwardly.

Yael watched as an old man exited from the main fort. She waved off his bodyguards and a smile cracked out onto his old face as soon as he saw Yael.

"Yael the grand mage!" The old human said putting his arms up to greet Yael.

"Lord Geroy." Yael said giving the old man a bow. 'Grand mage?' She'd seen him years ago and she couldn't be called anything but lower than average as a mage. When she looked up from her bow she was collected into a hug by Geroy. He was wearing some type of fur coat that looked like it was mostly for show. The edges were lined in some sort of soft fur and the main cloak was dyed a royal red. He smiled at Yael as he released, squinting to see her properly. A Solider offered him a pair of thick lens glasses but he waved the man away.

"Now, now Yael don't give me that. I haven't seen you in years." Geroy ran his fingers trough his white hair that seemed to be slowly balding. "We're friends after all." He glanced around and spotted the confiscated weapons. "Return their bows and swords to them men." He ordered, the soldiers quickly moved to hand the weapons back. Yaname muttered thanks to one of the men and Lucious grabbed his sword back quickly. He didn't seem to like being without it. Geroy turned to Yaname who bowed and then to Lucious. He squinted at Lucious who looked a little uncomfortable at the old man's gaze.

"Hmm and who might you be boy?" Geroy asked. Lucious looked a little confused.

"Erm, Lucious." He muttered.

"Brother to Darren?" Geroy asked. He smiled and then turned back to Yael. "Where is that strapping young soldier?" He gave a open-mouthed smile that Yael couldn't return. She felt cold and stiff. Yael was frozen in place. Yaname stepped forward.

"There was an, unfortunate turn of events my lord." Yaname whispered she held the gaze of the old man and he seemd to understand.

"Ah… unfortunate." Geroy muttered he nodded twice shuffling around to head back in. "Anyway." He then said to Yael. "The past is the past eh? Lets get you three inside and warmed up?"


End file.
